The benefits of doing regular physical activity include a reduced risk of: heart disease, stroke, bowel cancer, breast cancer, osteoporosis, and obesity. In addition, many people feel better in themselves. Regular physical activity helps you to control your weight, and is also thought to help ease stress, anxiety, and depression.
Everyone can benefit from becoming a bit more active as
part of their everyday life - you are never too old or unfit. Most of us could be more active throughout the day and reap the rewards by how you feel and the way you look.
Walking is good for you!
Anything that makes your heart rate increase, and makes you at least mildly out of breath. For example: brisk walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, dancing, badminton, tennis, etc. You can even use normal activities as part of your physical activity routine. For example, fairly heavy housework, DIY, or gardening can make you mildly out of breath and mildly sweaty. Consider a brisk walk to work or to the shops instead of using a car or bus, etc.
Heart disease and stroke
On average, the risk of developing heart disease such as angina or a heart attack is reduced by about a third in people who are regularly physically active compared to those who are not. You are also less likely to have a stroke. Physical activity is good for the heart muscle, but it also reduces some 'risk factors' for heart disease and stroke. For example, on average, blood pressure, cholesterol, and body weight are lower in people who are regularly physically active compared with those who are not.
If you already have heart disease, regular physical activity is usually advised as an important way to help prevent the heart disease from getting worse.
Weight control
Physical activity helps to burn off excess fat. Regular physical activity combined with a healthy diet is the best way of losing excess weight, and to maintain a healthy body weight.
Osteoporosis
Regular physical activity helps to prevent osteoporosis ('thinning of the bones'). The pulling and tugging on the bones by the muscles stimulates bone-making cells which strengthens the bones.
Cancer
Regular physical activity roughly halves the chance of developing cancer of the colon (bowel cancer). There is also evidence that breast cancer is less common in women who are regularly physically active.
Mental health
Physical activity is thought to help ease stress, and improve general well-being and self-esteem. Regular physical activity can also help to ease anxiety and depression. It can also help to make you sleep better. (But do the activity during the daytime or early evening, not near to bed time.)
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